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Congresswoman, NYC Delegation calls for inclusion of $35 million reimbursement in the C.R. to cover the costs to NYC taxpayers

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) was briefed today, along with other members of the New York delegation, by NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller on the effects of providing security for President-elect Trump on New Yorkers and the NYPD. Following the briefing, Congresswoman Maloney released the following statement:

“I was proud to join Congressman Serrano in leading a delegation letter to Congressional leadership supporting the Office of Management and Budget’s budget anomaly request of $35 million through the Byrne-JAG program to provide relief to New York City for the costs it has incurred providing security for President-elect Trump between Election Day and Inauguration Day. As Deputy Commissioner Miller explained, this is not a partisan or political issue – this is about protecting the President-elect of the United States. I stand firmly with my colleagues in pressing Congressional leadership and the Appropriations Committee to make sure that the funds are included in the final bill and swiftly paid out to New York City.

“For many reasons, this issue has a profound effect on my district and my constituents. This is a new, very expensive problem for New York - and it is not of its own making. Trump Towers, the family residence of President-elect Trump, sits in my district, right in the middle of one of the most densely populated intersections in the country. The situation has already given rise to a newly minted term among my constituents – a two-word explanation for why their taxi isn’t moving, or why they can’t just get to their favorite restaurant – ‘Trump Traffic.”

“The NYPD has been doing an outstanding job in the face of this unprecedented challenge and Mayor de Blasio has detailed the extraordinary lengths that the NYPD has gone to in order to secure Trump Tower and the surrounding perimeter. But all of this adds up, and New York City taxpayers should not be asked to foot the whole bill. So, in all fairness, I join my colleagues in urging our leadership to take action similar to that taken in 2008 to reimburse the city of Chicago for costs incurred leading up to the inauguration of President Obama.

“This funding is essential to enable the city to confront the challenges it is facing to strengthen protection protocols for President-Elect Trump. The NYPD is ready and willing to take on the job, but it must have the resources to do it successfully.

“Even after Inauguration Day, though, I will be monitoring the impact of heightened security in New York City to ensure that the effect on residents and visitors is mitigated to the greatest extent possible without sacrificing safety for anyone. The NYPD has a critical mission to protect New Yorkers in a city that is a constant target. We have to make sure that we give them the resources they need to continue to do that work in the face of this additional immense responsibility.

“I am grateful to Deputy Commissioner Miller for traveling to Washington today to brief the members of the New York City delegation. We will continue to work closely with them and with the Mayor on this issue.